Cleaning device for drawing instruments and the like



1966 KARL-HEINZ STlEL 3,280,828

CLEANING DEVICE FOR DRAWING INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 24, 1964 FIG. I FIG. 3

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United States Patent 3,280,828 CLEANING DEVICE FOR DRAWING INSTRU- MENTS AND THE LIKE Karl-Heinz Stiel, Hannover, Germany, assignor to Giinther Wagner, Hannover, Germany Filed Nov. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 413,553 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 25, 1963, W 35,702 2 Claims. (Cl. 134-117) The present invention relates to a cleaning or treating device for drawing instruments or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable cleaning or treating device which is especially suited for use by draftsmen, engineers, students and other persons doing extensive drafting work.

It is well known that drawing ink tends to dry and forms a crust along the surfaces at the nib of a ruling pen, at the leg of a compass, at the tip of a lettering pen, tank pen or regular writing pen, on the bristles of an artists brush, and/ or in the tubes of fountain pens which contain India ink. From time to time, such instruments must be subjected to thorough cleaning, particularly with a view to remove remanants of dried ink which settles in the corners and cannot be removed by a cloth or the like. A draftsman normally keeps a bottle of suitable cleaning liquid which is an aqueous solution of an organic alkaline substance and is capable of dissolving dried ink so that the thus dissolved ink is automatically separated from the instruments. However, to be effective, the cleaning liquid must be left to act upon dried drawing ink for a certain period of time, at least for a few minutes. Also, and since the cleaning liquid is capable of being used more than once, it becomes murky after repeated immersion of drawing instruments and will leave marks on the fingers of the person attempting to fish out freshly cleaned instruments from the container in which the cleaning liquid is stored. It was already proposed to furnish the container for cleaning liquid with a sieve having a handle which is grasped by fingers when the instruments are placed onto the sieve. The sieve is then immersed into the cleaning liquid and is withdrawn by the handle upon termination of the cleaing process. A serious drawback of such sieves is that the handle must be held by hand for a considerable period of time because the liquid takes some time to drain, and the sieve must be held directly above the container to avoid dripping of cleaning liquid onto the draftsmans desk or onto the drawings.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a very simple, inexpensive, easy-tomanipulate and compact cleaning or treating device wherein the user may insert, seal, drain and remove drawing instruments or other articles Without ever touching the cleaning liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device which need not be held in hand when the cleaning liquid is in the process of being drained off the freshly cleaned implements, which can be manipulated without any danger of spillage, and which can be used to accommodate a large number of instruments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple-purpose cleaning device which may be utilized as a means for cleaning a large number of detached instruments or one or more instruments while such instruments remain attached to their holders or carriers.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device wherein the cleaning action may be observed at all times, and which may be constructed and assembled in such a way that it represents an eye-pleasing decorative article on the desk or shelf of a drafting office, engineering bureau, study or a similar establishment.

3,280,828 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device of the above outlined characteristics wherein the cleaning liquid may be stored for long periods of time without any danger of leakage, evaporation or spillage, which may be produced in any desired size or shape, and in which the cleaning liquid may be drained off the freshly cleaned implements in a fully automatic way in response to a simple manipulation of the container in which the instruments are brought in contact with the cleaning liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device which is not likely to break or to spill its contents if it is accidentally dropped by its user.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide a device of the above outlined characteristics which, through particularly suited for use as a means for cleaning drawing instruments and the like, is equally useful for cleaning or other treatment of other types of articles which must be brought into shorter or longer lasting contact with a liquid medium.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above outlined characteristics which cannot spill its contents if the user decides to agitate the liquid medium in order to accelerate the treatment.

Briefly stated, one feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a cleaning or treating device for drawing instruments and the like. The device comprises a container having two interconnected sections each defining a chamber one of which is arranged to contain a supply of cleaning liquid and the other of which is adapted to accommodate the instruments, and at least one passage connecting the chambers so that the instruments are immersed in cleaning liquid when the liquidcontaining chamber is moved to a level above the other chamber. The section which defines the liquid-containing chamber is preferably provided with a bottom which may be placed on a desk or another suitable support when the device is not in use or when the instruments are being inserted into or are being removed through the open top of the other section. This other section is provided with a detachable closure which normally seals the open top and which is preferably configurated in such a way that it may serve as a bottom when the instruments are immersed in cleaning liquid whereby the user may deposit the container on a desk and need not hold it until the cleaning process is completed.

Each passage is configurated and/or dimensioned in such a way that it prevents the instruments from entering the liquid-containing chamber.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved cleaning device itself, however, both as to its construction and the mode of manipulating the same, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly elevational and partly vertical sectional view of a cleaning device which is constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of my invention and which is shown in normal upright position;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partly elevational and partly vertical sectional view of the cleaning device in inverted position; and

FIG. 4 is a partly elevational and partly vertical sectional view of a modified cleaning device which is shown in normal upright position.

Referring to the drawings, the cleaning or treating device of FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises a substantially hour-glass shaped container which includes a cylindrical lower section 1 and a cylindrical upper section 3. The lower section 1 defines a chamber 1a which contains a supply of cleaning liquid 2 of known composition and serving, for example, to clean brushes, writing pens, ruling pens, ink holders, parts of fountain pens and analogous instruments by dissolving dried drawing ink, regular ink, printers ink or similar substances. Such cleaning liquids are readily available on the market. The lower section 1 'comprises a bottom 1b which normally rests on a desk D or a similar support.

The upper section 3 is connected with the top part of the lower section 1 by a substantially 8-shaped web 5 which defines two comparatively narrow but elongated passage 6, see FIG. 2. This upper section defines a chamber 3a which communicates with the lower chamber 1a through the passages 6 and is provided with an open top which is normally sealed by a detachable closure 7. The upper section 3 comprises an externally threaded annular portion 3b which surrounds the open top and meshes with an internally threaded annular skirt 7a of the closure 7. The skirt is knurled, as at 712, so that it may be readily detached from the threaded portion 3b, thus enabling the user to introduce into the chamber 3a one or more drawing instruments 4. Such instruments come to rest on the bottom wall 30 of the upper section 3, and this bottom wall is inclined toward the passages 6 so that the cleaning liquid automatically returns into the chamber 1a when the container is maintained in the normal upright position shown in FIG. 1. The capacity of the lower chamber 10 preferably exceeds the capacity of the upper chamber 3a to make sure that the chamber 3a is drained when the container is held in upright position and to further insure that the container may accommodate a relatively large supply of cleaning liquid.

The cleaning device of FIGS. 1 to 3 is manipulated as follows:

The lower chamber 1a is at least partially filled with cleaning liquid 2 and the bottom 1b rests on the desk D. The user unscrews the closure 7 and inserts into the chamber 3a one or more instruments 4 so that the instruments come to rest on the inclined bottom wall 30. The user then reapplies the closure 7 to seal the open top of the chamber 3a, and the container is inverted to take the position shown in FIG. 3. The cleaning liquid 2 flows into and at least partially fills the chamber 3a which is now located at a level below the chamber 1a, and the instruments 4 descend onto the closure 7 so that each thereof is fully immersed in the cleaning liquid and the cleaning process proceeds as long as the container remains in the inverted position of FIG. 3. In such inverted position, the container rests on the desk D which engages the flat surface 70 of the closure 7. When the user feels that the cleaning process is completed, the container is reinverted to the position of FIG. 1 whereby the cleaning liquid returns into the chamber 1a and the implements 4 may be removed upon detachment of the closure 7. The passages 6 allow the liquid to rapidly return into the lower chamber 1a but invariably, prevent the instruments 4 from entering the lower section 1. Since the bottom wall 30 is inclined, practically all traces of cleaning liquid return into the lower chamber 1a and the user may remove the instruments without even touching any cleaning liquid other than that which might adhere to the instruments.

The container of FIGS. 1 to 3 consists of metallic material, but it is equally possible to make the container of vitreous or another transparent or translucent material so that the liquid level in the lower chamber 1a may be observed at all times. This is important when the user introduces a supply of fresh cleaning liquid through the open top of the upper section 3 because the level of such cleaning liquid should not rise above the passages 6, i.e., the bottom wall 30 should remain above the liquid level when the container is in the upright position of FIG. 1.

It is clear that the container may be modified by providing the section 1, too, with a detachable bottom 1b so that the instruments may also be introduced into the chamber 1a while the cleaning liquid fills at least a portion of the chamber 3a, i.e., while the container is kept in the position of FIG. 3. Furthermore, certain instruments may be more or less permanently stored in the chamber 1a if the bottom 1b is detachable, and such instruments will be accessible only when the container is moved to the position of FIG. 3. If the container comprises two detachable closures, a first set of instruments may undergo treatment in one of the chambers while the user inserts or removes a second set of instruments from the other chamber, or vice versa. Another advantage of a modification with two detachable closures lies therein that any sediment which may accumulate on the bottom 16 can easily be removed. The connection between the closure 7 and the upper section 3 may comprise a bayonet lock and may include an elastic gasket to insure that the chamber 3a is completely sealed from the atmosphere.

It was found that a container having the approximate dimensions of the container shown in FIGS. 1-3 is very practical for use by draftsmen, designers, engineers, students and other persons doing drafting work.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified cleaning device wherein the connecting web 5 defines a comparatively large circular passage 9 and at least one additional passage 8 corresponding to one of the passages 6 shown in FIG. 2. The interior of the container accommodates a vertical receptacle in the form of a tube 10 of circular cross section having an open upper end 10a which is adjacent to the closure 7' and an apertured lower portion 1% provided with a vertical rib 12 connected to the bottom 11 of the lower section 1'. The apertures 13 in the lower portior 10b allow the cleaning liquid 2 to rise into the receptacle 10 to the same level as in the lower chamber 1a. Wher the user detaches the closure 7 from the remainder oi the upper section 3, he may place one or more drawing instruments onto the inclined bottom wall 30 or he may insert the holder of a pen or the leg of a compass througt the open upper end 10a of the receptacle 10 so that the pen or another instrument at the lower end of the holde1 is immersed in the cleaning liquid 2 and abuts against the lower end wall of the receptacle. The pen remain: immersed for a requisite interval of time and is ther simply lifted out of the receptacle. Once the receptacle 10 is empty, the operator may use the cleaning device 0: FIG. 4 in the same way as described in connection witl FIGS. 1 to 3.

Of course, the cleaning device of FIG. 4 may comprise two or even more receptacles 10, or the illustrated recep tacle may be dimensioned in such a way that it can holt two or more pen holders, ruling pens, compasses, brushe: with handles, or the like. The container of FIG. 4 con sists of transparent synthetic plastic material and is preferably produced by the so-called blow molding process Without further analysis, the foregoing will so full} reveal the gist of the present invention that others can be applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for variou: applications without omitting features which fairly consti tute essential characteristics of the generic and specifi aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptation: should and are intended to be comprehended within th meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cleaning device for drawing instruments and th( like, comprising a container having a lower section pro vided with a bottom and defining a first chamber arranger to contain a supply of cleaning liquid, an upper sectior connected with said lower section and defining a secont chamber adapted to accommodate the instruments, sair second chamber having an open top through which Iht instruments may be inserted into and removed from sair second chamber and said upper section comprising a de tachable closure normally sealing said open top, said con tainer further having a plurality of passages connecting said chambers so that the instruments are immersed in cleaning liquid when the container is inverted and the first chamber is located at a level above said upper section to discharge its contents into said second chamber, the thus cleaned instruments being removable from said second chamber when the lower section is returned to a level below said second chamber, and a tubular receptacle provided in said container and having an open upper end which is accessible through said open top, said receptacle extending through one of said passages and having an apertured lower portion which is immersed in cleaning liquid contained in said first chamber so that an instrument-carrying implement may be inserted through the upper end of said receptacle to immerse the instrument into cleaning liquid in said lower portion.

2. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower portion of said receptacle is connected to said bottom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 283,389 8/1883 Goodwin 120-108 592,959 11/1897 Scattergood 2156 2,139,559 12/1938 Newton 215-6 X 10 2,319,531 5/1943 Brown et a1. 134166 2,664,854 1/1954 Talbot 134-135 X 3,167,079 1/1965 Weil 134135 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

15 R. L. BLEUTGE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CLEANING DEVICE FOR DRAWING INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A CONTAINER HAVING A LOWER SECTION PROVIDED WITH A BOTTOM AND DEFINING A FIRST CHAMBER ARRANGED TO CONTAIN A SUPPLY OF CLEANING LIQUID, AN UPPER SECTION CONNECTED WITH SAID LOWER SECTION AND DEFINING A SECOND CHAMBER ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE THE INSTRUMENTS, SAID SECOND CHAMBER HAVING AN OPEN TOP THROUGH WHICH THE INSTRUMENTS MAY BE INSERTED INTO AND REMOVED FROM SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND SAID UPPER SECTION COMPRISING A DETACHABLE CLOSURE NORMALLY SEALING SAID OPEN TOP, SAID CONTAINER FURTHER HAVING A PLURALITY OF PASSAGES CONNECTING SAID CHAMBERS SO THAT THE INSTRUMENTS ARE IMMERSED IN CLEANING LIQUID WHEN THE CONTAINER IS INVERTED AND THE FIRST CHAMBER IS LOCATED AT A LEVEL ABOVE SAID UPPER SECTION TO DISCHARGE ITS CONTENTS INTO SAID SECOND CHAMBER, THE THUS CLEANED INSTRUMENTS BEING REMOVABLE FROM SAID SECOND CHAMBER WHEN THE LOWER SECTION IS RETURNED TO A LEVEL BELOW SAID SECOND CHAMBER, AND A TUBULAR RECEPTACLE PROVIDED IN SAID CONTAINER AND HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH SAID OPEN TOP, SAID RECEPTACLE EXTENDING THROUGH ONE OF SAID PASSAGES AND HAVING AN APERTURED LOWER PORTION WHICH IS IMMERSED IN CLEANING LIQUID CONTAINED IN SAID FIRST CHAMBER SO THAT AN INSTRUMENT-CARRYING IMPLEMENT MAY BE INSERTED THROUGH THE UPPER END OF SAID RECEPTACLE TO IMMERSE THE INSTRUMENT INTO CLEANING LIQUID IN SAID LOWER PORTION. 